High-pressure sealing head



9 1940 R.v AisowMAN 2,196.8 95

amn-rnnssunm smm'ns HEAD Filed nay 1s, 1938 v ATTORNEY Patented Apr'. 9,1940 UNITED sTATEs PATE Company, East Pittsb of Pennsylvania NT oFFlcE'Y f mdnlanssnaa 'sEAmNd nalin Robert A. Bowman, Prospect Park, Pa.,

assignor Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing urgh, Pa., a corporationApplication May 1s, 193s, serial No. 268,550 Y (ol. zzo-55) internalpressure load is transmitted to a shear ring.

Another object of the invention is the provision of closure means forhigh-pressure heads which will .take sealing pressure loads in eitherdirection equally well. y

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relativelyflexible sealing member to take care of any variations in dimensions ofparts.

A further object of the invention is the provisionl of a high-pressurehead in' which the pressure load is taken by a-shear ring inside asealing device so as to be totally enclosed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a high-pressure headin which the pressure loadA is takenby a sectional shear ring, meansbeing provided for moving the shearv ring sections radially to operativeand to inoperative positions.

'Ifheseland otheLobiects areneiiectednby my...

invention as will be apparent from the following description and claimstaken in connection with the accompanying drawing; forming a part `ofthis application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional'view of a portion of the -tubularheat exchanger constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the shear ring sectionsmoved to inoperative position, for withdrawal of the cover;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a modification of theinvention.

In the drawing, there is shown a high-pressurehead at 8 including a bodymember 9 and a cover I0. e The body member has a ange II at one end forattachment to the ange I2 -of the shell I3vof a tubular heat exchanger,by suitable means, such as bolts I4. Tubes I5 have terminal portionssecured in the tube plate wall IB of the body member and they extendlongitudinally through the shell to the outlet end (not shown) of theheat exchanger.l As is usual, the shell I3 has an inlet I1; and, wherethe heat exchanger is of the single-pass type, as herein illustrated,the body member is provided with an inlet I8 'in its cylindrical wall I9for the admission yof iiuid under, high pressure. The cover l0 isdetachably connected interiorly of theouter end of the wall I9 by themeans vhereinafter described.`

Preferably, the open outer end of the cylindrical Wall I9 iscounterbored as at 2I to-receive the cover I0, which is comprised by arelatively heavy disk-like member 23 and a lheavy annular rim portion 24attached to the outer face of thecover, preferably by welding, as at 26,whereby a duid-tight seal is provided between the two parts. The outerperipheral wall of the annular rim 24 is aligned with the peripheralwall of the disk-like portion 23.

'I'he rim portion of the cover is provided with an outwardly-facingannular groove 2l, and the cylindrical wall I9 of the body member 9 isprovided with a corresponding inwardly-facing an? nular groove 28, thetwo grooves complementally forming a closed annular passage. A pluralityof shear-pieces 29 are disposed in the annular passage, and are movableradially therein, the grooves 21 and 2li being of-such radial.-dimensions that, when the shear pieces are moved in- Wardly'to theirextreme position, they are par- Y.tially-insboth'groovesf' In .thislatter position,

they serve to transmit pressure from the head to the wall I9 of the bodymember. i

Means are provided for moving the shear pieces radially to operative andinoperative positions, and comprise a plurality of bolts 3| threadedthrough the inner peripheral wall o! the groove 21, with their innerends swivelled at 32 to the shear pieces. The heads of the bolts extendinto'the circularspace within the rim of the cover,A where they areaccessible for movingthe shear pieces. Sealing means, such as shown at33, is provided beneath the heads of the bolts, to prevent leakagetherearound.

The relatively narrow annular clearance between the cover and the end ofthe body member is covered by a straddle type seal comprising an annulargasket member 34 abutting the outer end faces of the cover and thecylindrical wall, and

an annular sealing plate 36 overlying the gasket. Preferably, thesealing plate is made of relatively thin exible metal to accommodateunavoidable variations in dimensions of parts. Relativelyheavy outerrings 31 and 38 are connected bybolts 39 to the cover andthe cylindricalwall and serve to exert clamping'pressure on the sealing plate such thatthe latter is.sealed with respect to the cover and the cylindrical wallby the gasket I4.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a modiilcation which mit voutwardly throughthe peripheral wall of the recess in the bodymember. With thisarrangement, the cover may be formed of a single relatively heavydisk-like member 4l.

While I have shown my invention in two -forms, it willbe obvioustoggthose skilled in the art that transmit pressure from the cover tothe body member; means for sealing the joint betweenthe cover and thebody member; and sealing means4 between the bolt heads and theperipheral wall through which the bolts extend.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollowpressure-sustaining body member having an opening at one end and aninwardly-facing circumferential groove providing a raldial .thrustshoulder; a cover closely received in the opening and comprised by adisk-like portion having an annular rim portion rigidly secured to theouter face thereof in duid-tight relation it is not so limited,bulisssceptiblevofyai'iousheretoi-sairimlpoition having an outwardly-'other changes and modications without departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced thereupon as areimposed yby the prior art or as are specicallyset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. Apparatus of the character described comprising ahollow pressure-sustaining body member having an opening at one :end andan inwardly-iacing circumferential groove providing a radial thrustshoulder; a cover in the opening overlapping said groovel and having anoutwardly-facing circumferential groove aligned with the groove in thebody member and providing a radial thrust shoulder, said groovescomplementally forming a closed annular passage; a plurality oi` arcuatesegmental shear pieces in said passage; means for moving said shearpieces radially comprising a plurality of bolts threadedly mounted inand extending' radially through a peripheral wall of the annular passagewith their heads exteriorly accessible, said shear pieces, atoneextremity of their movement, being disposed/entirely within one ofthe grooves and, at the opposite extremity of their movement, beingdisposed in both grooves, whereby they may transcover to the thrustshoulder of the body member; and means sealing the joint between thecover and the body member.

2. Apparatus'oi the character described comprising a hollowpressure-sustaining body member having an opening at one end and aninwardly-i'acing circumferential groove; a cover in the openingoverlappingsaid recess and having anL outwardly-facing circumferentialgroove; said grooves being aligned and complementally forming a closedannular passage; aplurality of shear pieces in -said passage; means formovingsaid shear pieces radially; said means comprising a .plurality ofbolts threaded through a peripheral wall of the annular passage,swivelled to the shear pieces, and having their heads accessibleexteriorly oi the body member and cover; said shear pieces, at oneextremity ot their movement, being disposed entirely within one oi'lthegrooves and, at the opposite extremity oi their movement, being disposedin both grooves, whereby they may pressure from the thrust shouldei ofthe the shear pieces are at facing circumferenmloovrproviding-aJadialJgR.thrust shoulder; said grooves being aligned and complementallyiorming aclosed annular passage; a plurality of shear pieces disposed in saidpassage; means for moving said shear pieces radially and comprising aplurality of bolts swivelled to the shear pieces and extending radiallythrough the peripheral wall of the groove in the rim portion with theirheads projecting intothe space within said rim portion; the groovesbeing of such radial depth that, when the shear pieces are moved totheir innermost position, they are disposed entirely within the recessof the rim portion whereby the cover and shear pieces may be removedfrom thegopening in thebody member, and, when the shear pieces are movedto their outermost position, they are disposed in both recesses wherebythey may transmit pressure from the cover to the body member; and meanssealing the joint between said cover and said body member.

4. Apparatus of the character described com-l prising a hollowpressure-sustaining body member having an opening at one end and an-inwxa.rdlyfacingv circumferential groove providing a radial thrustshoulder; a cover closely received in said opening with its peripheralface overlying the groove and4 having an outwardly-facingcircumferential groove providing a radial thrust shoulder; saidgroovesbeing aligned and complementally forming a closed annular passage; a,plurality of shear pieces disposed in` said passage; means for movingsaid shear pieces radially and comprising a pluralityrof bolts swivelledto the shear pieces and 'extending radially Y through the peripheralwall of the recess in the body portion; the grooves being of such radialdepths that, when their outermost position, they are disposed entirelywithin the groove of the body portion whereby the cover may be removedirom the opening'in said body member. and, when the shear pieces are intheir. innermost position', they are disposed in both grooves wherebythey may transmit pressure trom the cover to the body member; and meanssealing the joint between said cover and said body member.

ROBERT A. BOWMAN.

sof,

